Speaker system

ABSTRACT

A speaker system provided with a plurality of radially arranged flat speaker-units, a speaker-unit support comprising support walls corresponding, respectively, to the speaker-units and sections capable of attaching onto structures, such as partitions, ceilings, etc., joint-units connecting the speakerunits with the support so that the speaker-units can be turned towards desired directions at various angles to the corresponding support walls either co-operatively or selectively, and means holding the speaker-units at a desirable position.

Uited States 1191 1111 3,752,258 Ishilkawa 1 Aug. 14, 11973 1 SPEAKER SYSTEM 3,385,929 5/1968 Magyar et a1. 1131/31 B ,4 ,2 4 11970 h 181 1B [76] Inventor: Haruo Ishikawa, 12-35-314 3 9| 0 S emo ,3

Matsunoki, l-chome, Suginami-ku, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Tokyo, Japan 833,707 4/1960 Great Britain 181/31 B [22] Filed: Oct. 28 1971 871,574 6/1961 Great Britain 181/31 B [2]] Appl' l93453 Primary Examiner-Stephen .I. Tomsky Attorney-Robert E. Burns et a]. [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 4, 1970 Japan 45/96444 [57] ABSTRACT A speaker system provided with a plurality of radially [52] US. Cl. 181/31 B arran ed flat speakepunits a speaker unit su on 51 1m. 01 c1011 13/00, H04r l/28 compgising Support walls corresponding respectffely {58] Field of Search 181/31 31 to the speaker-units and sections capable of attaching onto structures, such as partitions, ceilings, etc., jointunits connecting the speaker-units with the support so [56] References cued that the speaker-units can be turned towards desired UNITED STATES PATENTS directions at various angles to the corresponding sup- 2,070,088 2/1937 Montaruli 181/27 E port walls either co-operatively or selectively, and 3,170,533 2/1965 Detrick 181/27 E means holding the speaker-units at a desirable position. 3,213,961 10/1965 Kuypers et al. 181/31 B 3,351,719 11/1967 Schoengold 181/DIG. 1 11 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures Pafiented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,258

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 I \IHIIM "H11 in lhll Patented Aug. 14, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ILL 7 4 V I'll-Ila FIG.8

Pakented Aug. 14, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 14, 1973 3,752,258

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SPEAKER SYSTEM The present invention relates to a sound system suitable for home use and more particularly to a remark ably improved sound-reproducing system used for listening to music, such as a stereophonic system, etc.

Speaker systems with a plurality of speaker-units for home use are well known.

The known speaker systems are available generally in the restricted forms of box-types, which not only do not provide different combinations and variously designed appearances, but also have the disadvantage that they cannot reproduce uniformly because of their sound directivity. The various attempts for improving such defects have gone to the limits.

The present speaker system, having a particular construction, can express at will all the types of combination according to personalities and respective preferences, as well as can reproduce non-directional sounds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-directional speaker system having the best sound effects selected arrangements.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a speaker system with selectively changeable arrangements and with an excellent esthetic appearance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a speaker system capable of attaching easily on desirable places, as opposed to the impossibility of easily attaching usual speaker systems on desirable places, such as partitions, ceilings, etc.

A speaker system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of radially arranged flat speakerunits; a speaker-unit support comprising support walls corresponding, respectively, to the speaker-units and sections capable of attaching onto structures, such as partitions, celings, etc.; joint-units connecting the speaker-units with the support so that the former can be turned towards desirable directions at various angles to the corresponding support walls either cooperatively or selectively; and means holding the speaker-units at voluntary positions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention and details of construction of a preferred embodiment will be apparent from the following description with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plane view of speaker system of the present invention, with each of speaker-unit held horizontally.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear side view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged bottom planeview of a speakerunit, taken with the rear cover off, of a speaker system according to the present invention.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged sectional views of the system of FIG. 1, taken along the line VII-VII, the right side of FIG. 7 is in successive relation to the left of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view along the line IXIX in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a modification of the present speaker system relating mainly to the speaker-unit support.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the present speaker system attached to the ceiling.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the present speaker system mounted on a shelf disposed along a partition.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the present speakersystem attached onto a wall side.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the speaker system disposed on a table.

The speaker-unit used in the present invention may be in different forms. The speaker-unit 1 used in FIGS. 1 to 9, comprising suitable dynamic cone-type speakers for listening to music, may also be replaced by magnetic cone-type speakers (not shown). All these speakers may be used.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, a diaphragm 2 and a frame 3 are molded with foam of polystyrene and other styrene copolymers into flat form. Both the pieces may be formed either separately followed by binding them with adhesives, or by integral molding process.

A voice coil 4 and a magnet 5 are attached in the given position simultaneously or after molding.

The frame and diaphragm have in general a density of almost 13 to mg/cm and can reproduce the sound of a frequency range from about 20 cycles to about 20,000 cycles per second without distortion, provided that they are formed into suitable thicknesses, shapes, etc. The speaker-unit l is fitted into a framework 6 attached by a screw on a plate 8 fixed to the framework 6 by a screw 7 through the frame of the speaker-unit l and covered with a decorative cloth 9 made of polyvinylidene chloride filament at'the front and, if desired, at the rear also. The speaker-unit support 10 formed with the support wall 1 1 made of metallic, synthetic resinous, or wooden materials, into triangle prismatic, hollow pole may be attached directly on structures, such as a ceiling, a partition, etc., with wood screws or machine screws. On structures made of wood materials, however, an equipping element 12 may be attached with a wood screw 13 through an aperture 32 of the equipping element 12, around which the support wall is put in, the support wall fastened with a screw 14 at the outside. In the case of hard structures, such as stone, concrete, etc., a stud bolt may be disposed in the structures. On outer surfaces of the speaker-unit support, suitable decorations for the situation for setting up the present system may be designed. From the speaker-unit support 10, mounting means comprises an arm 16 having a conical socket 15 at the end thereof, is screwed to the support 10 with a bolt 17 and extends towards the direction of the speaker-unit, while from the speaker-unit 1 another arm 19 which is screwed to the framework 6 attaching the speaker-unit l thereon, has a ball-shaped member or a ball 18 at the end thereof to be fitted with the socket 15 of the arm 16. The ball 18 extends towards the direction of the arm 16, and a cylindrical connecting pipe 20 surrounds it rotatably mating part of the arms 16, 19. The connecting pipe 20 terminates in an inner flange 21 engaging with the ball 18 of the arm 19, and has a groove 22 extending longitudinally which accepts axial insertion of the neck-part of the arm 19. A screw 23 on the pipe the outside surface at the rear of the socket 15, which makes it impossible for the pipe to be pulled out from the arm 19. Adjustable tightening means comprises a clamping bolt 24 screwed in at the outside of the connecting pipe 20 and a conical end 25 thereof is faced to a slant surface 26 formed at the rear of the socket 15 of the arm 16, thereby enabling the ball 18 to be clamped and fixed against the socket 15 of arm 16 by pressing the connecting pipe 20 towards the left in FIG. 7 through the flange 21. The speaker-unit 1 can then be held at a desired slanted position. The speaker-unit is connected by a lead wire 27 disposed in the speakerunit support to terminals 28 to which the wiring from an amplifier may be linked. There are lateral cross-pieces 29 extending between frameworks 6 before the front cover cloth 9.

FIG. 11 shows an example attaching the present system to the ceiling.

Every speaker-unit is held approximately horizontally with the others in the state extending in three directions, each unit, therefore, can give a feeling of similar sight at any part of the room, and uniform radiating sound from three downward directed speaker-units. If desired, setting up a plurality of the present systems renders stereophonic reproduction or other multichannel reproductions possible.

FIG. 12 is an example wherein the present system faces the rear of a partition and is mounted on a shelf.

When placed on a shelf, the speaker-unit situtated between the speaker-unit support and a partition stands almost vertically, and the speaker-units extending right and left are held in parallel with the partition by rotating the arm 19 almost 90 from the horizontal state.

Three speaker-units forming a T have a particular effect and can sound non-directionally giving the impression that the partition surface sounds as a part of the speaker system.

FIG. 13 shows an example of using the speaker system of the the present invention by attaching the speaker-unit support to a partition.

Each speaker-unit is held a forward slant state with a front appearance of blooming, and has nondirectional effects not only owing to the sound from the speaker-unit fronts but also owing to the sound from the rear reflected by the partition.

In FIG. 14, there is indicated an example for use on a desk or a table. In this Figure, the system shown at the left side, holds every speaker-unit vertically and gives a stable feeling and a non-directional effect of reproduction due to diffusion. The system at the right side holds each speaker-unit almost vertical and arranged in the form of triangle pole, and has the effect that the prismatic pole itself is the speaker system.

The examples are no more than an indication of some applications of the system, which can be applied individually and voluntarily in the form as users desire.

The speaker-unit support 10 shown in FIG. 10, made of transparent materials, comprises a socket 30 disposed on an inside equipping element 12 and equipped with a light source such as a light bulb 31. This system is applicable also as lighting equipment and increases the beauty and convenience. The transparent materials comprise transparent and semi-translucent synthetic resins, perforated metal plates, papered frames, etc. The socket is provided with wiring (not shown) to an electric source.

The present invention is not limited to the particular structures and materials in the foregoing description and drawings, but involves various modifications besides the examples accordingto the spirit of the invention. For example,van increase or decrease of the number of speaker-units, modifications of the sectional shapes of speaker-unit support, such as circular, rectangular, polyangular, figured types, etc. are apparent from the foregoing description to those skilled in art, and do not depart from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A speaker system comprising: a speaker-unit support; a plurality of speaker-units; mounting means mounting said plurality of speaker-units on said speaker-unit support and including a plurality of universal joints each comprising a ball-shaped member connected to one of said speaker-unit support and one speaker-unit and a socket connected to the other of said speaker-unit support and said one speaker-unit and receiving said ball-shaped member therein for universal movement of said one speaker-unit independently of the others and relative to said speaker-unit support; and adjustable tightening means coacting with said mounting means for adjustably pressing each ballshaped member against the associated socket to adjustably tighten each universal joint to immovably maintain each speaker-unit in a selected position.

2. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein at least two speaker-units extend around the speakerunit support.

3. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises a prismatic triangle, having at least one speaker-unit disposed on each wall thereof.

4. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein each speaker-unit comprises a diaphragm and a frame composed of foamed synthetic resins.

5. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises a hollow structure.

6. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises an equipping element disposed within said speaker-unit support for attaching said speaker-unit support onto structures.

7. A speaker system comprising a plurality of speaker-units; a framework surrounding each speaker-unit; a speaker-unit support having walls corresponding, respectively, to the fr ework means connecting each framework to said speaker-unit support comprisingan arm projecting from said speaker-unit support and terminating in a socket, another arm projecting from the framework and terminating in a ball disposed within said socket thereby defining a universal joint, a connecting pipe extending over the end part of both the arms; and tightening means disposed on said connecting pipe for adjustably pressing said ball on the socket.

8. A speaker system according to claim -7, wherein the arm having the socket comprises a slant surface; said connecting pipe has a flange in its interior for supporting said ball of said another arm; and said tightening means, includes a tightening bolt screwed into the connecting pipe and the end part sliding along said slant surface for pushing said connecting pipe to one direction when the tightening bolt is screwed further into the pipe.

9. A speaker system according to claim 7, wherein said connecting pipe comprises means defining a groove for allowing the insertion of the arm attached to the speaker-unit for changing the position of the arm.

10. A speaker system according to claim 7,' wherein said speaker-unit support is composed of lightpermeable materials, and further comprising a light source mounted in said speaker-unit support.

11. A speaker system according to claim 1, wherein saidadjustable tightening means comprises a connecting pipe covering both said socket and said ball-shaped member and having a flange on one end for'confining said ball-shaped member therein, a, slant surface on said socket, and a tightening bolt mounted on said connecting pipe and slidable along said slant surface when tightened thereby pulling said connecting pipe in a direction effective to press said ball-shaped member against said socket.

t III R 

1. A speaker system comprising: a speaker-unit support; a plurality of speaker-units; mounting means mounting said plurality of speaker-units on said speaker-unit support and including a plurality of universal joints each comprising a ballshaped member connected to one of said speaker-unit support and one speaker-unit and a socket connected to the other of said speaker-unit support and said one speaker-unit and receiving said ball-shaped member therein for universal movement of said one speaker-unit independently of the others and relative to said speaker-unit support; and adjustable tightening means coacting with said mounting mEans for adjustably pressing each ball-shaped member against the associated socket to adjustably tighten each universal joint to immovably maintain each speaker-unit in a selected position.
 2. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein at least two speaker-units extend around the speaker-unit support.
 3. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises a prismatic triangle, having at least one speaker-unit disposed on each wall thereof.
 4. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein each speaker-unit comprises a diaphragm and a frame composed of foamed synthetic resins.
 5. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises a hollow structure.
 6. A speaker system, according to claim 1, wherein said speaker-unit support comprises an equipping element disposed within said speaker-unit support for attaching said speaker-unit support onto structures.
 7. A speaker system comprising a plurality of speaker-units; a framework surrounding each speaker-unit; a speaker-unit support having walls corresponding, respectively, to the framework; means connecting each framework to said speaker-unit support comprising an arm projecting from said speaker-unit support and terminating in a socket, another arm projecting from the framework and terminating in a ball disposed within said socket thereby defining a universal joint, a connecting pipe extending over the end part of both the arms; and tightening means disposed on said connecting pipe for adjustably pressing said ball on the socket.
 8. A speaker system according to claim 7, wherein the arm having the socket comprises a slant surface; said connecting pipe has a flange in its interior for supporting said ball of said another arm; and said tightening means includes a tightening bolt screwed into the connecting pipe and the end part sliding along said slant surface for pushing said connecting pipe to one direction when the tightening bolt is screwed further into the pipe.
 9. A speaker system according to claim 7, wherein said connecting pipe comprises means defining a groove for allowing the insertion of the arm attached to the speaker-unit for changing the position of the arm.
 10. A speaker system according to claim 7, wherein said speaker-unit support is composed of light-permeable materials, and further comprising a light source mounted in said speaker-unit support.
 11. A speaker system according to claim 1, wherein said adjustable tightening means comprises a connecting pipe covering both said socket and said ball-shaped member and having a flange on one end for confining said ball-shaped member therein, a slant surface on said socket, and a tightening bolt mounted on said connecting pipe and slidable along said slant surface when tightened thereby pulling said connecting pipe in a direction effective to press said ball-shaped member against said socket. 